Try this Pepper Imps recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 134.493045113592 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0.000390000005811453 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 cup (253g)
- Sodium 4.84140000400696 mg
- Sugar 134.492655113587 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 521 calories
Step-by-step
- In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, water, glucose syrup and cream of tartar.
- Once the sugar has dissolved, place the thermometer in and let cook without stirring.
- Once the candy reaches 300F, remove from heat.
- Put on candy making gloves, keep your face back and pour in the cinnamon oil.
- Give it a quick stir and drop in a little bit of black gel (you won't need much).
- Stir, then pour a tbsp of the candy onto a silicone mat.
- Fold together until able to pick up (dough consistency).
- Take clean oiled kitchen scissors, and cut off a little bit (size of ball you want).
- Roll with your gloved hands until you form a ball shape and set aside.
- Repeat until all candy is cut and rolled.
- If the candy starts to harden in the pot, simply heat the pan back up on the stove for a few minutes, until the candy can be removed from the pan again.
- Roll in white sugar before storing in an airtight container.
Reaching 300 degrees Fahrenheit without stirring is the single critical threshold that dictates whether this mixture forms hard glass or grainy syrup. When sucrose, water, and glucose syrup dissolve over medium heat, the water molecules break down crystal bonds. Inserting a candy thermometer at this exact moment halts agitation. Stirring past dissolution introduces seed crystals, which trigger a chain reaction resulting in a cloudy, crystallized mass rather than a clear batch. Cream of tartar acts as an inverted sugar agent, chemically splitting sucrose into glucose and fructose to disrupt crystal formation entirely during boiling. Cinnamon oil introduces moisture alongside intense heat, meaning oil must be incorporated off the heat source to prevent dangerous splattering. Working with molten sugar demands heavy candy-making gloves and extreme caution. Folding the cooling mass on a silicone mat distributes the volatile oil evenly while managing the rapid drop in temperature. As the mixture thickens to a dough-like consistency, timing is unforgiving. Clean, oiled kitchen scissors allow rapid portioning before ambient air hardens the remaining pot contents prematurely. Rolling the shaped spheres in white sugar absorbs residual surface moisture, preventing the candies from sticking together inside an airtight storage container. Pair these intensely spiced drops with unsalted roasted nuts or cold cream beverages to balance the heavy cinnamon burn through fat and protein counterweights.
